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Title GENDER AND ENERGY POVERTY; EXPLORING THE INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN UNCLEAN COOKING FUEL AND WOMEN’S HEALTH

Author(s) AYESHA IFTIKHAR AHMED

Abstract This study investigates the correlation between unclean cooking fuel and women's health. As one of the pressing facts of energy poverty, the use of unclean cooking fuels disproportionately affects women, causing manifold health issues due to prolonged exposure. The study employs a qualitative survey questionnaire method. The results depict a pervasive dependency on unclean fuels due to gender roles and socio-economic factors. This dependency results in significant health problems for women, such as respiratory diseases and eye problems. With these findings, the paper argues for gender-responsive strategies for energy poverty alleviation, advocating for cleaner and more accessible cooking fuel options in rural Pakistan. The study highlights the importance of incorporating gender considerations in addressing energy poverty for a more sustainable and equitable society. The usage of biomass fuel is quite common in low and middle-income countries. Burning of biomass fuels immediately ruins the air and puts people at risk for numerous ailments; this also affects the residents of Bhalwal hamlet. The purpose of the study is to demonstrate the impact of biomass fuel on the women’s health of the people of Bhalwal village and the residents' satisfaction with the transition from traditional stoves to better ones (good electric stoves). Fuel consumption is a heavy burden and a major problem in the third World countries due to indoor pollution and poverty, especially in Pakistan. This study investigates the relationship between the usage of biomass fuel and energy poverty in cooking fuel choices in remote areas of Bhalwal, district Sargodha Pakistan. This article also shows how women utilize biomass fuel for heating and cooking since they are low on energy, which hurts their health and alters the climate. The participants' willingness to convert to modern stoves was indicated by the results, which also indicated that traditional stoves have detrimental consequences on the environment and human health. Furthermore, the study demonstrates a favorable correlation between healthcare expenses and the usage of biomass fuel for cooking and heating purposes. Because of poor wealth most women in the remote areas are using biomass fuel for cooking and heating purposes The research findings also showed that diseases such diseases as asthma, skin irritation, ocular irritation and other ailments were frequent in women and children. In total, the findings presented support the association between health care expenditure and biomass fuel utilization. Women may rush to design and use new energy-saving solutions to protect their health in light of the diseases associated with bad cooking oil. Consequently, the problem in connection with the issues of the negative effect of biomass fuels on the health of the inhabitants, the indication of safety measures, and the introduction of appropriate policies, can remove the problems associated with biomass fuels. Keywords: Biomass fuel, Clean cooking fuel, Women’s health hazards, Energy poverty, Gender inequality, Pakistan.

Type Thesis/Dissertation MS

Faculty Management Sciences

Department Governance and Public Policy

Language English

Publication Date 2025-06-19

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